3810. EBB to Maria Rosalie Hamilton

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 23, 1.

<39 Devon>shire Place.

<Wedne>sday [July 1856] [1]

<My dear Mrs Hamil>ton [2]

<Please know> I will try to take advantage <of your g>ood nature to both of us—<however,> I am so much hampered <just n>ow that I fear it will not <be soon. A>t any rate I hope to get <to you> some morning to thank <you for the inte>ntion.

<I ha>ve delayed this answer, not <to> send the ‘no’ which at first <seemed> inevitable.

Most truly yours

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Dear Mrs Hamilton, do you know any one who w<ould wish to engage a> reliable maid? I a<m unable to retain her> from another arrangeme<nt. …> Harriet Gray would <be suitable for a> lady going to the continen<t, as she knows> a little French—enough to <…> She is very gentle, very at<tentive and never> forgets. I can recomme<nd her highly.> [3]

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Royal Holloway, University of London.

1. Dating suggested by EBB’s enquiry regarding Harriet Gray (see note 3 below).

2. Nearly half of the original document, written on two sides of a single sheet, has been excised.

3. Sometime after the Brownings’ arrival in London, Wilson returned to her position as lady’s maid, which she had temporarily left the previous autumn to give birth to her first child, Orestes. Consequently, EBB tried to find a place for Harriet soon after reaching London. We have been unable to determine what became of her.

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